The Poem for Everyone's Souls
by Aramaki
Summary: An old man appears to bedridden Hisao Nakai, speaking of something that is now of the utmost importance to the young boy. The power of one's heart. 'I, the undersigned, chooseth this fate of mine own free will...' Hisao/Shizune.
1. Blue Velvet

The Poem for Everyone's Souls

Summary: An old man appears to bedridden Hisao Nakai, speaking of something that is now of the utmost importance to the young boy. The power of one's heart. '_I, the undersigned, chooseth this fate of mine own free will..._'

Pairing: Hisao/Shizune

Rating: M (Eventually)

* * *

Chapter 01 - Blue Velvet

Hisao opened one eye at the sound of a woman's voice, singing as if in some far-off radio. His chest still felt heavy, with both scar tissue and emotional weight. His 'girlfriend', Iwanako, had left for the final time months ago (in tears, of course) - so it couldn't possibly be her. His parents had been signing paperwork and he felt that a nap was something well-deserved by that point.

"...What...?"

The hospital was not inclined to noise. Especially not music like this strange aria. The woman's voice seemed to be getting closer, crecendoing as a piano began to be audible.

Eventually, the newly-'disabled' boy opened both eyes, struck by the odd area he found himself in. It was a small blue room, and he was laying on the floor of all places. Chagrined, Hisao managed to pull himself up with relative ease - despite the sedentary lifestyle he'd adopted. The centerpiece of the room seemed to be the old man seated at a blue velvet couch, with a long, hooked nose that hung over his gloves.

"Where am I?" Hisao muttered, stupefied at the seeming translocation.

"Welcome...to the Velvet Room." The old man's bloodshot, nearly-pupil-less wide eyes shot open almost instantaneously. "My name is Igor...I am delighted to make your acquaintance." Igor looked rather like some sort of old manikin dressed up in a suit, he was bald up top and had a shock of monk-like long white hair dusting his head. His limbs also seemed bizarrely out of proportion, spindly little stick things. Igor sported a wide, toothy grin and a scratchy, high-pitched voice as well.

"...Nakai Hisao." Hisao gave a short bow, his eyes almost as wide as Igor's. He had no idea where he was, of course. His eyes darted over the small room, with a piano that seemed to play itself, an empty microphone stand, and a painter-less easel decorating the confines. "...What is this place?"

"This is the Velvet Room." Igor's answer was unhelpful, at first. "This room lies between dream and reality, mind and matter. Only those who are bound by a contract are allowed to travel here." The old man blinks once, a strange sight.

"But I've never signed anything...I've been in the hospital for months, Igor. You must have got the wrong guy, I'm just some crippled kid now...I'll even be heading to some school for the disabled, with a hospital on site." Hisao seemed to get more depressed as the reminder of his situation hit home. "What do you expect someone like me to do, even if I had signed something?"

Igor just smiled that wide smile. "It may mean that such a fate awaits you in the near future...After that, you will find yourself here once more. I can then explain the ways in which I can assist you further. For now, all I can tell you is that I deal with the strength of the heart and the powers of the human mind. Even if your body is damaged, it is what lies inside that has the true potential." He folds his hands on the table in front of him. "Do you believe that I can predict such a thing, Hisao-kun?" The old man cackles in that high-pitched voice, sending shivers down Hisao's spine.

"...No. All I've ever known is that it's impossible." Hisao asserts, somewhat confident of that, at least. Though, he seems uncomfortable, shuffling from side to side on the blue carpeting. "I don't even know where we are, let alone how I'd get back here - even if I did want to."

"...Let me demonstrate, then. Sit." Igor waves a hand, a chair materializing in front of the table. "I will show you the cards, and let them tell you of the struggles that lie ahead. Our time together is short for now...so this will have to be quick."

Hisao shook his head in disbelief, but took Igor's chair out of a desire to humour what had to be his subconscious. Though, he mused, his subconscious was certainly quite strange. 'Not to mention...that song is beautiful. It's too bad I'll never hear it again...'

"Let's begin." Igor murmurs, cards appearing on the table and arranging themselves into what Hisao could barely recognize as a tarot spread. "Mm...the first card..." The old man's white-gloved hand waves briefly, flipping the card nearest to me. "Each reading is done with the same card, but is always different. Much like life."

"The Tower in the upright position. This represents the immediate future. A terrible event is imminent." Igor notes, flipping another. "The card indicating the future beyond that is the Moon, in the upright position. This card represents hesitation, and mystery. Interesting, indeed. It seems you are on a journey soon, and a great mystery will be imposed upon you at your destination."

Hisao's brow furrows. "That doesn't make much sense."

"So quick to judge." Igor chuckles to himself.

"Well, I don't know what I can do about any mystery. I'm not any use anymore - nobody even bothers to visit me in the hospital, I'm not sure how I can be. If I was, they would still be here...wouldn't they?"

"Perhaps. Regardless, our time grows short...I will be unable to finish this reading now. The next time you come here, if you wish." Igor gestures with one hand idly. "The coming year will be vital in determining your fate. If the mystery is not solved...your future may be forever lost." Igor's voice seemed almost ominous at that. "My duty is to provide assistance to our guests, so that does not come to pass. We shall attend to the details of this arrangement another time, however."

Hisao attempts to protest, but feels his body growing heavier and heavier. "But..." He mutters, his eyes drooping. "What...future...?" He drops his chin, fading from the Velvet Room.

"Until then...farewell." Igor's eyes close silently, his hands bridging under his nose again as he stills - not moving a muscle as the room darkens to a rich black.

* * *

"Ah!" Hisao jerks up in bed, eyes flying open as he startles the hell out of his parents nearby. His ECG warbles unsteadily for a moment, before returning to normal. "Wh...where am I?" He glances around, before breathing a sigh of near-relief that he was somewhere he recognized.

"Hisao?" His father leaned forwards, pressing a hand to his son's forehead. "Are you alright? You were thrashing around a lot...Nightmares?"

Hisao's eyes flickered unsteadily for a moment, before he closes his mouth with an audible click and just nodded. "...Something like that." He agrees, not really offering any information.

"Well, if you're ready, we can leave. I'm sorry that the paperwork took so long. We had to fill out everything in triplicate." His father cracks a joke, before straightening up and leaving the room quickly. Hisao's mother takes over the business of getting the boy dressed and ready to leave the hospital bed - along with one of the nurses. "...Almost forgot what real clothes felt like." Hisao snarks to himself, having not precisely enjoyed the hospital gowns and provided clothes.

Walking down to the lobby, to Hisao, seemed as though he were waking up from a long dream. It had been six months since he'd seen the outside world. Suddenly, his chest ached - not a physical pain, but from emotion. He'd stop just before the sliding doors, blinking his eyes to let them adjust. With a deep breath, he'd ease the glass door open, wind whipping through his hair and nearly bowling him over.

"...I'm back." Hisao whispered to no-one, before pushing onward towards the family's transportation for the day.

* * *

It was a gate. A rather nice gate, wrought iron and likely quite old. Perhaps pre-War.

Hisao looked up at the large gate, a feeling of dread lodged in the pit of his stomach. "...This is it." He mutters to himself, the cabbie having unloaded his bag and left already. The teenager scooped up the single case and eased his way into the gate, feeling as though someone was laughing at him from far away.

A flash of blue caught the corner of his eye, but nothing was there when he turned to look. Seeing things, in addition to having heart problems? That couldn't be good, Hisao thought, walking mutely along the path towards the school. It...didn't look much like a school, to his untrained eye. Too green, like a park. There were birds here and there, and the grass was neatly trimmed.

There is nobody around. It feels a bit eerie to Hisao, having spent long months in pale green hospital wings. All of a sudden, he realized, he hated the colour green. The boy's hands tug at the uniform jacket he was given, wishing it was a different colour. Perhaps a shade of dark blue...

Hisao headed towards the school's main building, having been told someone would meet him there - even though he had no idea which entrance he should use. To keep things simple, he approached the closest one and pried it open, revealing a large main entryway and a somewhat messy-looking man in a long coat.

"You must be Ni..Na...Niki?" The tall man grins sheepishly, knowing it wasn't quite right. "Nakai." Hisao corrects, a dull expression already on his face. "So you are...I'm your homeroom teacher, Mutou. I also teach science."

The tall man - Mutou - extends a hand and the two exchange a perfectly mediocre handshake. Not hard or firm, but not soft either. Mutou checks his watch, before shaking his head. "Well...the head nurse wanted us to check in with him, but it's a bit late for that now. Class is almost ready to start."

"Oh...should I go later?" The somewhat-gloomy boy asks, tilting his head. "Yes, probably best. There's not time now, we need to introduce you to the rest of the class. They're waiting already." Hisao seems to let himself become introspective for a moment, nearly missing Mutou's statement. "Introduce myself to the class?" He pauses, before something flickers across his face. The normally rather milquetoast boy's face seems to solidify for a moment. "Yes. I think I will."

Hisao's voice seems to be much sharper for a moment, life dancing in his eyes again. For just a moment, Mutou seems to perceive something momentous was occurring. As though the old Hisao had turned up for that instant, the one described in the file as a bright, competent, sarcastic young man with a competitive streak.

The moment breaks as the teacher's watch goes off, letting Hisao shrink down to his now-customary near-slouch and trail along behind the older man. Neither of them speaks on the way there, which suits the two perfectly. There was planning to be done, words and thoughts rushing through Hisao's mind as he tries to compose some sort of speech.


	2. Velvet Eyes

The Poem for Everyone's Souls

Chapter 02 - Velvet Eyes

(Forgive me, but I'm going to experiment with a limited first-person narrative for this chapter. It may be rewritten with omniscient third-person later, but this style seems to flow with the game better. Also, there is some text from the game. I got a little lazy, but I'll change it up more quickly.)

* * *

As Mutou opens the door to the classroom, I freeze for a moment. Nerves again. I start moving not too long after, sighing. It's a big step, but there's no point worrying about it so soon. Especially since I'd decided to do the introduction myself. I don't really know what came over me...something good, though. It felt right.

I attempt a smile as I round the corner into the classroom, knowing it was falling a bit flat. "Good morning, everyone. I'm sorry I'm late again." Mutou's voice seemed to startle me out of my smile, before it had really taken off. I'm sure I looked rather gloomy, but it was how I was feeling at the time.

I follow the teacher into the classroom and look around, partially so I won't have to meet the curious gazes of my new classmates. It's pretty spacious; the ceiling is unusually high and there's lots of space left over around and in-between the desks. An entire wall taken up by blackboards and the high, old fashioned windows only make it seem larger.

The students' desks are just standard wooden desks with a shelf underneath for books and wooden chairs with metal frames. Simple and efficient. I stop walking in front of the classroom and face the other students. They all look normal, like students in any other school. But then, why would they be here?

They're probably like me and have something wrong with them, only it's just not immediately obvious. Then, I notice that one of the girls seems to be missing the thumb of her right hand. It's a little jarring.

Despite the natural tendency to listen when someone's talking about you, I tune out the teacher's speech halfway through while he introduces me to the class.

I notice a flash of dark hair and see that someone is looking at me. A girl with really long, straight hair that is pretty eye-catching. As she sees me looking back at her, she covers her face with her hands as if it will make her invisible.

There is one boy with a cane leaning against the lockers at the rear of the class. It's weird seeing someone so young with a cane. Another girl seems to be making some weird hand motions. Sign language? She peers at me over the rims of her glasses, then goes back to whatever she's doing.

Blue eyes. A rich, dark velvety colour...they draw me in quickly, though they repulse me just as easily with her rather stern expression. Still...she's kind of cute. So is the cheery-looking girl with pink hair sitting next to her. She's really hard to miss; I don't know how I didn't notice her the moment I walked in...

"...Please welcome our newest classmate." That and the applause - which feels a little odd - snaps me out of my little trance and back to reality, before I click my heels together and bow formally. "Nakai Hisao. I play soccer, and enjoy reading, as well as games. My hobbies are learning new things and trying to improve. Please take good care of me." I finish my small and bland, but rehearsed introduction and wait for the teacher to point me towards a seat. Everyone seems to be fine with what little I've said, and some of the girls are whispering about me already. This could be alright.

The teacher finishes up with some speech about getting along, and everyone seems to be paying attention. You'd never see that in my old school. When he finishes, everyone claps - even that one girl in the front row with no hand. She makes do. Maybe I should draw a lesson from that?

Instead of offering me a seat, he calls out the cute girl with pink hair, waving me over towards her. "Why don't you work with miss Hakamichi? She's the class representative, and can certainly help you out if you need something, since we're doing group work today. No-one better to explain it to you." He smiles and I smile, that sort of thing that one thinks one might be supposed to do but doesn't really feel - then he simply points towards the pink-haired girl by the window.

I wander towards the suddenly-enthusiastic pink-haired girl. The waving make me think that's who I'm supposed to be going towards, anyway. The girl's rather oddly-shaped hair bounces a bit with her, those drill-like curls drawing my attention briefly away from where I was going and almost causing me to knock a smaller boy down. I apologize profusely, before escaping towards the two girls in the group.

"Hakamichi? Good to meet you." I put my hand out towards the pink-haired one, only to get a loud, boisterous laugh in response. Her hands flash in quick succession with odd gestures, before she grins in my direction. "Nice to meet you too~! But! I'm not Hakamichi! I'm Misha." Oh kami, this girl was far too loud for her own good. "This is Hakamichi! But her name is Shizune~. I call her Shicchan."

"Er..." As Misha's hands move in increasingly odd gestures, likely to be sign language, the newly-dubbed Shicchan merely nods politely at me - flashing a small smile. Her hair seems to be a lovely shade of dark blue, almost as deep as her eyes were...quite familiar as of late. Ever since that strange dream with the old man, he'd been seeing a lot more blue in the world.

However, I do think the teacher was starting to mess with me, saying things like 'who better to explain it'. Misha seems to notice my puzzlement, and begins trying to explain. "I can see you're a little confused, right?, right? But, I understand why you would think I was Shicchan! Shicchan is deaf, so I'm the person who translates things back and forth for her. I'm like an interpreter~! She says it's nice to meet you, too!"

A short pause, and before I could say anything, Misha translates a sentence and replies to it in both Japanese and sign. "You're the new student~? Well, of course he is, Shicchan, why else would he be standing up there like that? He seems like an interesting person, doesn't he?" The deaf girl simply gives Misha a blank look, before signing something else.

"We knew there was going to be a new student, but not quite so soon. Hicchan, right~?" Misha's bubbly voice is so at odds with the blue-haired girl she's translating for, that it's quite jarring. "Hicchan?" I question, blinking. "Sure, it fits, doesn't it?~" Misha seems pretty irrepressible. Though, I'm not sure I like now that nickname even followed me here. I never liked it back then either. "I don't see how," I respond, a bit of sarcasm in my voice and an eyebrow raised. Misha, naturally, gets none of it.

"It fits! You look just like I imagined." She breaks for a loud 'Wahaha~', before returning to her talking. "You look like a Hicchan~!" I simply deadpan, sighing. "I don't know -why- everyone thinks so." It seemed as though I was playing the straight man to her comedy routine, but I think she might just be like this naturally. Scary stuff. I didn't know people could be this enthusiastic.

Shizune seems to be trying to get Misha's attention, tapping on the pile of work and signing rather insistently. Their hands blur to me as they sign back and forth, before one of Misha's laughs breaks the silence. She looked a little overwhelmed at the end there, but seemed to have caught it all. "Sorry about that! Shicchan wants you to know that if you have any questions you can ask her - since she's the class rep and all. We can show you around the school and help you...familiarize? yourself with it!" Misha's translation chugs a bit on the one word, but seems pretty good.

"That'd be nice...I really just came straight to class today. I don't know anything about this place yet." I admit, looking at the desk for a moment. It was a nice desk. But not as nice as watching the two girls - even if the one was so forceful in speech and the other in personality. Or so it seemed, at least.

Misha - once again - burst out with a laugh. "No, no, that's no good! You should always learn as much as you can about a place before you go there~ Not just with school! Even a trip to the convenience store!" She pauses a moment. "...Really, Shicchan?" The pink-haired girl laughs again, causing Shizune to give her a slightly exasperated look, before nodding.

Learn about someplace before you go there? That seemed like a lot of work to me right now. Misha and Shizune signed some to each other, before Misha punctuates it with a shrug. That shrug seems to depress me a bit, and I can't quite tell why. Maybe the shrug was about me. I slump a bit in my chair and sigh, before nodding.

"You look down, are you okay?" Misha asks me, as I raise my head.

"Don't take it the wrong way, please~! I hate it when people are afraid to ask questions! That's how people learn things, by asking~! Asking for help is perfectly normal, as much as needing help! Stop looking like you just fail a test!" That last bit had to have been Shizune. I was starting to puzzle out which sentences were really Misha's at a rather quick rate. Shizune was more to the point, sort of.

"...All right. I'm fine, really." I protest, after a moment or two.

"Oh, and you don't have to call Shicchan something formal like 'Hakamichi' or 'class rep' all the time. Just Shicchan will do!" Misha signs all this to Shizune, on autopilot, and Shizune seems to get a rather cute little indignant look on her face as she glares at Misha - signing rather furiously. "...Eehehe...Maybe just Shizune, then." Shizune punctuates the statement with a firm nod, cheeks still slightly stained pink. It makes her look quite attractive, at that.

"Shizune it is." I nod, smiling just faintly - though I wouldn't realize it at the time. The two girls had managed to make me feel a lot more at ease, as well as a faint stirring of what could be friendship in my chest - just before everything ceased to move around me.

I couldn't breathe. Or feel. Was this a heart attack? It didn't seem painful enough, I thought, before a pair of cards floated down in front of my eyes. What the hell was going on? Panic started to rise, rapidly displacing the faint stirrings of warmth. The first bore the outline of a pair of figures entwined beneath a heart, and the numeral VI. The second bore the outline of a strange figure almost shaped like a female symbol, wearing a noble crown. It had the numeral III. A strange voice began to echo in my head as the cards spun...

"_Thou art I...and I art Thou. Thou hast established a new bond...It brings thee closer to thy destiny. Thou shalt be blessed when taking on Personae of the Lovers and Empress Arcana..._"

The creepy echoing voice fades with a faint burst of light, and I blink as everything starts to move once more. What just happened? I panic for a moment longer, my heart skipping a beat, but manage to calm myself down - no matter what had just happened, it wouldn't do to make the girls think I was losing my mind. Or have a heart attack. Both seemed equally as likely. Excuse time. "...Sorry. I think I blanked out for a moment. Should we get to work before class ends?" I try to make a joke, but Shizune seems to agree rather strongly, tapping the pile of papers. She shoots me a worried look for a moment, and I smile in return to try and re-assure her. Then I chuckle, halfheartedly, and grab a few of my own. There is rather a lot of it. "We might get done before then...who knows?" I mutter to myself, as both Shizune and I go to work on the large pile of papers while Misha catches up and grabs her own.

"After class, we should take a walk together~!" Misha, again. Though, that doesn't sound too bad, and I tell her so. "Yay~ It's a nice day today." She nods, bubbly once more.

The assignment is actually a bit challenging, unusual for me. But, sadly, it's also mostly boring and somewhat unnecessarily long. Shizune and I finish near the same time and wait for Misha, trading surprised looks - me, that I'd finished so quickly and her, that I'd managed to keep pace with her. A little grin seems to play across her lips for a moment, before she goes back to that all-business look. She was very calm and placid, but I had a hint there was something more to her as well.

Intriguing. That's the word for Shizune, I thought. I'd thought a deaf girl would be much more subdued - that could be the fact that I 'hear' her through Misha, though. I furrow my brow briefly, realizing I'd simply applied a stereotype to the class representative instead of trying to talk without preconceptions as I usually do. This condition of mine is really getting to my mental state...

As Misha finished up her work and turned it all in with a laugh, I stood as well. The class bell rung not long after and I found myself flanked by the two rather attractive girls. They seemed determined to do this 'meet and greet' thing properly, at least. I attempt a smile as Misha and Shizune guide me down the stairs, the pink-haired girl chattering about something or another.

Finally, we arrive in what could only be the basement, based on how low we'd gone. Surprisingly, it was a large, tiled room with windows filling one side of it. The cafeteria was strangely modern, compared to the class exterior of the building. Just like everything else. They seemed to open towards the courtyard, near the main gate. It was some view. Misha decides to break the silence and loudly announce "It's the cafeteria!" - thus startling every student in a fifteen-meter radius. Another one of those 'Wahaha~' laughs fills the slight silence, before we take our places in line to order food.

It's got a surprisingly good menu. I could get to like that, school cafeterias weren't exactly the best places on Earth. After a few moments, I realize that the menu was probably so large for students with special dietary needs. A grimace crossed my face briefly, before relaxing. Just like the hospital. Perfectly measured portions of tasteless crap.

We get food - me picking at random - and sit down at an unoccupied table as I pick idly at the food I'm not sure if I wanted. It's passable, which is good. Some sort of chicken and rice thing. It didn't matter. Something about the experience had turned my stomach briefly, reminding me that I wasn't just at a normal school again.

Misha pokes me after a few minutes, before pointing to Shizune - who signs something at me. I blink, the point being lost since I don't know sign.

Maybe it was polite to look at the signer when she 'speaks' instead of her interpreter?

"Do you want to know anything?" Misha asks, a little less bubbly than before since it seems to be Shizune's words. That could just be me.

"About what?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Anything! We're your guides, after all." Misha slurps up a noodle, grinning. Shizune doesn't seem to be eating much, but she didn't get much either. I offer her the apple off of my tray, and she accepts it, signing what I'm sure is a thank you. Misha confirms that a second later.

"Shicchan says thank you." Misha beams at me, before reiterating her question.

"Well...let me think." I frown to myself. Shizune intrigues me, and I really want to know more about her. But I've just met her. I couldn't do that, could I?

If you want to learn, ask. That's what I tell myself as I open my mouth. "Actually, I really want to know more about you, Shizune. I've never actually met a deaf person before, so there are a few questions I wanted to ask." I smile, some intelligence showing finally, through my depressed state of mind.

Misha grins a bit wider, translating easily. Shizune looks slightly surprised, but nods, signing to Misha. "Go on~!" Misha says, waving at me excitedly. I think someone must have fed her bubblegum as a small child. But she is rather adorably energetic.

"Should I look at you or Misha when you're signing? I know I can't understand yet, but it seems polite."

Misha seems to nod, agreeing, as Shizune signs something back to her. "That's the ...etiquette? Yeah. I think so, anyway. Since she's the one whose words are coming out of my mouth, that seems like a good idea. I'm impressed, Hicchan~! Not many people ask that." Misha giggles a bit, before the two girls break off into rapid-fire signing.

"Can Shizune lipread, Misha? If so, that would make conversation slightly easier, even if she can't talk back without me knowing sign." I chance, asking another question and interrupting. Misha shakes her head, signing a translation to Shizune. Shizune nods and signs back with a little smile visible. "Shicchan was born like this, so lipreading is nearly impossible for her. Smart question, she says." Misha nods her head repeatedly, as though it were punctuation. Might have been, in her mind.

I can't think of any more questions, and tell them so. Shizune seems happier that I had asked instead of learning later. She's a direct sort of person, and I think I like that about her.

Misha and Shizune seem to sign between themselves for a while while I finish off my meal. The two glance at me occasionally, but Misha doesn't translate for me. Must be secret girl stuff. The class rep's not so different from a hearing girl, I suppose. I wonder what her voice would sound like, if she could talk...

The silence seems to hang a little long for me. A conversation in sign doesn't fill it well. Imagine that.

* * *

(I could really use some feedback on which writing style seems better. The first-person limited seems to work best, given the source is in that style as well. Also, likes to eat my scene breaks. I didn't notice that before, but it's fixed now. I'll be sure to edit my uploads appropriately next time. This crossover's going to use mostly Persona 2 concepts, while adding the Persona 3/4 Social Link system to an extent - I hope that clears up some confusion.)


End file.
